Islam is more legalistic than Christianity but less so than Judaism. In many instances, Islam straddles the middle ground between Christianity and Judaism. Thus Islam is both like and unlike Christianity and Judaism. Islam has common elements to both Christianity and Judaism and yet there remain subtle and sometimes not-so subtle distinctions.

One saying of Prophet Muhammad is very similar to Christ’s teaching. Muhammad said, “Whoever wants to be drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, let him die while believing in God and the Last Day (of Judgment), and do for the people what he likes them to do for him.”

Other quotes from Prophet Muhammad that express similar sentiments are:

“No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.”

“You will not enter paradise until you have faith. And you will not complete your faith until you love one another.”

“Verily, God is compassionate and is fond of compassion, and He gives to the compassionate what He does not give to the harsh.”

“The best richness is the richness of the soul.”

The sacred texts of Islam, Christianity and Judaism do not explicitly prohibit polygamy or polygyny (a man married to more than one woman at a time).

Biblical prophets, like Muhammad, practiced polygyny. In the Biblical scriptures, Abraham had three wives (Genesis 16:1, 16:3, 25:1). Moses had two wives (Exodus 2:21, 18:1-6; Numbers 12:1). Jacob had four wives (Genesis 29:23, 29:28, 30:4, 30:9). David had at least 18 wives (1 Samuel 18:27, 25:39-44; 2 Samuel 3:3, 3:4-5, 5:13, 12:7-8, 12:24, 16:21-23) and Solomon had 700 wives (1 Kings 11:3).

Polygamy was allowed in both Jewish and Christian practices. Judaism expressly prohibited polygamy in the beginning of the eleventh century. Its prevalence in Christian practices is mixed. Mormons allow it to this date while other sects allowed it till as late as the sixteenth or seventeenth century.

Islamic sacred texts allow polygamy but do not require it.

The Quranic verses related to polygamy were revealed after the battle of Uhud, which left behind many widows and orphans who needed protection. In tribal societies marriage was one of the foundational institutions that ensured protection of women and children.

“If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then (marry) only one.” (Quran 4:3).

Polygamy is allowed but discouraged.

“And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him – behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” (Quran 4:129)

These verses show that a man marrying multiple women is not a fulfillment of his sensual desires. Islamic law allows a woman to seek divorce if her husband fails to support her adequately. The sacred texts of Islam when compared to the sacred texts of other religions actually limit the practice of polygamy by placing stringent conditions, which are very difficult if not impossible to fulfill. Polygamy is viewed as lesser evil than the harm caused to children orphaned and women left without protection as a result of war. Thus if a society evolves to provide adequate protection to women and children then the institution of polygamy becomes irrelevant.

In modern day Muslim majority societies the practice of polygamy is rare (1-3% by some accounts). In many Muslim majority countries (Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia and Turkey) polygamy is not legal. Muslims living as minorities in the West are not clamoring to be granted exceptions to practice polygamy. Much like the Mormons in the U.S., American Muslims do not practice polygamy.

A note about marriage in Islam: Marriage is solemn contract between a man and woman.

The Quran says, “Your wives are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them.” (Quran 2:187). “Garments” offer both protection and beautification.

“It is He who created you from a single soul, And made its mate of like nature in order that you might dwell with her in love….”(Quran 7:189).

One of the great Muslim poets Rumi wrote:

May your vows and this marriage be blessed.

May it be sweet milk,

this marriage, sweet drink and halvah.

May this marriage offer fruit and shade

like the date palm.

May this marriage be full of laughter,

your every day a day in paradise.

May this marriage be a sign of compassion,

a seal of happiness here and hereafter.

May this marriage have a fair face and a good name, an omen as welcome as the moon in a clear evening sky….

May spirit enter and mingle in this marriage.

Arabic speaking world

People who speak Arabic as their primary language make up fewer than 20% of the Muslim population worldwide. The adjacent map shows, in green, places around the world where Arabic is spoken as the primary language. A person is regarded as an Arab if they meet one of the following three criteria:

1. Someone who can trace their ancestry to the tribes of Arabia (the Arabian Peninsula).
2. Someone who speaks Arabic as their primary language.
3. Any person who is a citizen of a country where Arabic is the national language.

Although the words Arab and Muslim are often used interchangeably they do not mean the same thing. Many Arabs are not Muslims and most Muslims are not Arabs.

Given that Islam originated in Arabia at a time when history was being meticulously recorded allowed Arabic to be infused into many of the ritual practices of Islam. The fact that the Quran was revealed in Arabic and it has been preserved till date in the language of its revelation affords the language of Arabic a special role in Muslim communities.

Certain religious rituals, such as prayers, require some of the utterances be made in Arabic. This is no different than the practices in many Christian denominations which require prayers to be in Latin. Judaism also requires ritual prayers in Hebrew. Similarly, Eastern religions such as Hinduism also require certain religious rituals to be conducted in Sanskrit.

Many non-Arab Muslims make extreme effort to learn Arabic as this enhances their ability to access sacred texts without the need for any translations. Understanding Arabic allows Muslims to better appreciate the linguistic majesty of the Quran, which they view to be the final revelation from God.

Muslims consider Jesus (in Arabic Isaa or Esaa) a Prophet and Messenger of God. Jesus is mentioned about 25 times by name in the Quran. Muslims believe in the following aspects of Jesus, which are common to Christian beliefs:

1. Miraculous birth: Muslims like Christians believe that Mary, (Maryam in Arabic), was a chaste, virgin woman, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus, without any male intervention. In The Quran an entire chapter (#19) is titled Mary (Maryam). Verses 16 to 21 of that chapter narrate the miraculous birth of Jesus.

“Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then We sent her our angel (Gabriel), and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: “I seek refuge in God, The Most Gracious: Come not near me if you fear God. He (the Angel) said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from your Lord, and I have come to to announce to you the gift of a son, endowed with purity. She said: “How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has ever touched me, and I am not unchaste?” He said: “So (it will be): Your  Lord said, ‘that is easy for Me: and We wish to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’: It is a matter so decreed.”

In addition, Chapter 3 verse 47 notes, “She (Mary) said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He (God) said: ‘So (it will be) for God creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He only has to say : ‘Be!’- and it is.”

This miraculous birth serves as a reminder of the powers of God. This miracle is more about God and less about Jesus. This miraculous birth does not impart any divinity to Jesus. A few verses later in 3:59 the Quran goes on to clarify, “Indeed, the likeness of Jesus in God’s Sight is the likeness of Adam. He (God) created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’-and he was.”

2. The miracles of Jesus: Muslims, like Christians believe Jesus performed miracles. The miracles were performed by the will and permission of God.

“Then she (Mary) pointed to him. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’ He (Jesus) said: ‘Verily! I am a servant of God, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; ” (19:29-30).

“Then will God say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit (the angel Gabriel) so that you did speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold: you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by My leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers by My leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave.’ (5:110).

Judaism, Christianity and Islam claim a common father figure – Abraham. I am attaching file that shows the lineage of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad and how they all trace to a common father – Abraham. Muslims sees Judaism and Christianity as earlier versions of Islam. Muslims view Islam as the final revelation of the Abrahamic traditions.

The Islamic tradition recognizes many of the Jewish and Christian prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (although he is not considered to be the son of God). For Muslims, the Quran has the same reverence as Jesus does to Christians. Muhammad himself is not divine, but a prophet chosen by God to deliver his message and an example of good character to emulate.

Jews and Christians are specifically mentioned in the Quran as “People of the Book,” reinforcing their spiritual connection to Islam. The Islamic legal tradition has upheld the rights of Jews and Christians to maintain their beliefs and practices within their communities in Islamic lands, and this policy of tolerance has generally been upheld.

CLICK HERE to see a brief table that compares side-by-side some of the issues of belief and practices among the Abrahamic faiths.

CLICK HERE to see a chart showing lineage of major prophets and messengers.